SACRAMENTO-
The state high school championship football games will be played in Sacramento the next three years, and hosted by Sac State. The California Interscholastic Federation, which oversees high school sports in the state, made the announcement Friday as this year’s State Bowl Games were kicking off at the StubHub Center in Carson.
In a statement on the organization’s website, CIF Executive Director Roger Blake said, “The CIF is pleased to bring the State Football Championship Bowl Games to Sacramento State. We are excited to be holding this event at a facility which has hosted events such as the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships and will allow for a memorable experience for our student-athletes.”
The State Bowl Games, which match the best teams from Northern California against the best teams from Southern California, have been played in Carson since the inception of the state championship program. Beginning next December those title games will be held at Hornet Stadium. The three year contract to host the games includes the Bowl Games in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Several Sacramento area high schools have won Bowl Games in recent seasons, and both Central Catholic from Modesto and the Folsom Bulldogs are part of the Bowl Game field this season. For at the least the next three seasons local teams which qualify will enjoy something of a home field advantage.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome the best high school football teams in California to Sacramento,” said Mike Sophia, Director of the Sacramento Sports Commission, in comments included with today’s CIF announcement.
